Strathspey and Reel Society of New Hampshire
Granite Skyes
Vol 15, No. 6 Feb 2006

SRSNH 2006 Gatherings: 
Feb 26		Mar 26
April 30	May 28
Jun 25
1-5pm.  Free admission!  All ages, all instruments, all levels welcome; with potluck refreshments.

NOTES FROM THE MUSICAL DIRECTOR
February 2006

I am going to add a little jam session to our regular meetings.  Just before we
take our break, we will play a bunch of tunes for about 10 minutes.  Here's how
I plan to do it.  I'll pick about 6 tunes that are popular and well known and
list them here in the newsletter notes.  You can practice them before hand,
organize your music so you can find them quickly, or just wing it.  While I do
not insist that people play with out music, it is important to know that you
can.  It broadens your abilities and gives you the freedom to join others on
the spur of the moment.  Frank and Susan Woodward hosted a party recently.
There were about 20 musicians there, many SRS members, and we sat in the living
room and played tunes for almost 3 hours.  Not everyone played every tune, we
took breaks to snack and visit or just sit and listen, but the music just went
on and on.  Not one piece of paper.  On a very practical basis, supposing you
are playing for a dance and your music stand gets jostled and the music gets
spilled.  You can't stop and pick it up, you just keep playing, playing
something.  Or you are outdoors and the wind swirls everything away.

Here's the first set of tunes, all familiar reels in D or G: Soldier's Joy
(11.9), Mrs. MacLeod (7.13), Spootiskerry (3.16), Fairy Reel (3.9), Flowers of
Edinburgh (3.18) and Davy Knick Knack (3.18).

We will start this month's tunes with a pipe march, Australian Ladies, by P/M W
Fergusson.  It is the name tune for a Scottish Country Dance of the same name.
It is great fun to play either with or without the pipes. The tune is in the
usual 4 part, 64 bar, format and when arranged for a country dance one can
either use just the first two parts for a 32 bar round or all four parts for
two rounds.

The next tune is a good example of how tunes get their names changed and the
confusion that results.  Lady Harriet Hope's Reel is a Scottish Country Dance
from an 1816 collection.  The RSCDS original publication of the dance did not
list a separate name for the tune and the tune acquired the name of the dance.
It is a sprightly reel in Bb.  While hunting for a tune in Bert Murray's
collections I ran across the tune, but transposed down to G.  Bert attributed
the tune to Robert Mackintosh.  Aha, now we have a tune, a composer and 2
different keys.  The Mackintosh collection does not include Lady Harriet Hope
but it does have the tune, with its proper name: Miss Margaret Graham of
Gartmore's Favorite.  Here are both versions of the tune, with its proper name
and the alternate name.  Remember, a rose by any other name is still a rose.
Same for a tune.  We have two nice tunes by Nathaniel Gow, a strathspey and a
reel.  The strathspey is Sir George Clark of Pennycuik. It is the name tune for
the 18th century dance Up in the Air.  It is a good fit as the tune itself is
'up in the air'.  The reel is Lady Clementina Loughman and it is the name tune
for the contemporary dance Pol Harrow Burn.

The Singing Gate

When we played Eric Allan's Singing Gate in January we had questions about the
tempo of the two parts.  I wrote to Mr. Allan and here's what he said: "I'm
delighted and flattered that your group is playing this.  The first section is
slow, like a lament or a pibroch -if this is not too fanciful, the wind is
blowing this Highland air across the site of the stones. The second section is
just as quaint - the spirits of the moor coming out for a little jig round the
stones.  All a bit mystical, but it's that kind of place! - All the best to you
and your group."

Miscellaneous Trivia and Information (from Sylvia)
 
At the recent session we played Jig of Slurs and some one asked where were the
slurs to be played and why the name.  The tune is a pipe tune and has many
repeated notes.  A piper cannot play 2 identical notes, they come out as one.
These two notes are called 'a slur'.  In order to achieve the two notes the
pipers must play an embellishment called a 'hit' to separate them.  Thanks to
Leslie Webster for this information.

No Snow-ball dance this year.  Many of our members have asked if SRS would be
playing the Snowball Country Dance this year.  Sadly, for us and for dancers,
there is not going be one in 2006.  We can hope for 2007.

The SRS is invited to play again at New England Folk Festival Association
"NEFFA" on Sunday, April 23rd at 3 pm.  I will start taking signups at the
February session.  We will use our Gala 05 program music.

MODERNIZE YOUR GRANITE SKYES!
 
Are you interested in receiving your Granite Skyes newsletter and the music by
email?  We can save a lot of money each month for the Society by doing this!
If you have already let Denise Robinson (our mailing maven) know that you'd
like this method, that's fine.  If not, please do contact her at
fiddledee at comcast.net and make sure she has your email address.

Scholarship committee announcement
 
In order to avoid the financial uncertainty in the early awarding of
scholarships, the Board feels that there should be a single period of awards
during the month of May. Accordingly, the deadline for all 2006 applications
will be April 30th. Since this date coincides with a gathering, it will provide
a final opportunity for direct submission of the appropriate forms to a
committee member. (presently, Katie Botsford and myself). This year's form will
be available at gatherings beginning in March, and also on the SRSNH website
for downloading. To be fair to all applicants we must know both the total
number of scholarships requested, and the nature and cost of the proposed
programs, so that the committee may act in May. Applications can be submitted
to me (or another committee member) in person, to me by mail (before the
deadline) at 100 Eastwood Drive, Portsmouth, NH 03801, or email: Eafid at aol.com.
Elly Abelson, Chair

Seacoast Irish Cultural Association

Don Young sent along a nice web site for the Seacoast Irish Cultural
Association The SICA is a non-profit, family oriented organization dedicated to
the discovery, enjoyment, and preservation of Irish and Irish-American culture
in the in the seacoast area and beyond.  The web site has listing to many
seacoast events at http://sica.cjb.net Or the "snail mail" address:

Seacoast Irish Cultural Association
PO Box 86
Dover, NH 03821-0086

Notes from the editor

I was web surfing and noticed Brendan Carey Block now plays with the Glengarry
Bhoys. Brendan is a New Hampshire native.  He was the 2000-2001 US National
Junior Scottish Fiddle Champion, three time New England Champion, and winner of
many other New England fiddle contests. Also on Brendan's web site it states:
"Brendan has been an active member of the Strathspey and Reel Society of New
Hampshire and was the Music Director for their Tartan Day 2000."  I also ran
into Brendan and his father Richard Block at the Ceilidh Trail School about
five years ago.  I spent some time with his father Richard Block who was in my
guitar class.  Richard is also the sometimes-bass player for Robbie O'Connell.
Brendan could play like the wind then and sounds even better now.  The
Glengarry Bhoys are touring the US and from their web site seem to be very
gainfully employed. They will be back in New Hampshire for the Highland Games
September 23&24, (co-staring us, I guess).  Small world!  Well, that's my brush
with fame store this month.

I got an email from Mark Sustic about the upcoming Patrick Street concerts.  He
writes: "One of the world's most renowned traditional Irish music groups will
be performing Friday February 17th at the Lebanon Opera House and Sunday
February 19th at the Paramount Theater in Rutland. Veterans of legendary groups
like Planxty, the Bothy Band, DeDannan and others, Patrick Street represents
the distillation of a crucial new strain that emerged in traditional Irish
music more than twenty-five years ago. The concerts, part of the 'Events for
Tom' series, begin in Lebanon at 7:30pm and in Rutland at 7pm. Admission is $23
in advance and $25 on show days.

Kevin Burke, Andy Irvine, Jackie Daly and Ged Foley, collectively known as
Patrick Street, are known throughout the Irish music world as four of its most
brilliant players. On a repertoire steeped in traditional music, the band's
tightly executed arrangements and unparalleled musician- ship know no
equal. Beginning as a one-time tour of four recognized masters, nearly two
decades and eight albums later this super group' has reached legendary
status. Patrick Street adds a new lane this year with the addition of
multi-instrumentalist John Carty. Known for his sensational fiddling, John adds
double fiddle with Kevin as well as exciting variety with his talents on banjo,
flute and tenor-guitar.

Patrick Street was launched in 1986 as a one-off tour de force called Legends
of Irish Music. Living up to its name, it featured fiddler Kevin Burke (veteran
of The Bothy Band), singer /bouzouki player Andy Irvine (Planxty), and
accordion player Jackie Daly (De Dannan), along with acclaimed guitarist Arty
McGlynn. With the success of the tour, the quartet released an album that year
named Patrick Street (after a road or avenue found in towns across Ireland) and
a band was born. The line-up of Burke, Irvine and Daly has remained constant
through the years, with other distinctive artists passing through the ranks
including guitarist Gerry O'Beirne, fiddler James Kelly, and uilleann piper
Declan Masterson. Ged Foley, a highly skilled guitarist from England with past
stints in the Battlefield Band and House Band, came on board in 1996. This year
the Street widens its talents with John Carty.

 Tickets for the Feb 17th performance are available through the Lebanon Opera
House Box Office: or phone: 603-448-0400, online at www.lebanonoperahouse.org
or in person at 51 North Park Street in Lebanon. Tickets for the Feb 19th
performance are available through the Paramount Theater Box Office: by phone at
802-773-0903 or in person at 38 Center Street in Rutland.

 These concerts will be the 42nd and 43rd presentations in the Events for Tom
Series.  Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Tom Sustic Fund, which
supports families with children with cancer. For more general information about
the series and the Tom Sustic Fund, contact Mark Sustic at 802-849-6968 or
mrksustc at together.net or visithome.together.net/~mrksustc/."


SRSNH EVENTS CALENDAR
Patrick Street
Friday, February 17, 7:30pm
Lebanon Opera House
51 North Park St. Lebanon 
And:
February 19th performance 
Paramount Theater 38 Center Street 
Rutland VT
Events for Tom Series. by phone at 802-773-0903 or in person info: Mark Sustic,
802-849-6968 or mrksustc at together.net or visit home.together.net/~mrksustc/.

Music for Music Concert Series
Concerts at St. Mary's High School, 27 Bartlett St, Westfield MA  Shows start
at 7:30PM doors opening at 7:00 Call 413-562-6569 to reserve or for
info. Advanced Tickets $14, $18 at the door Kids (6-12) $6 and $9 under 6 free.
- February 18, 2006: Cape Breton Style fiddler Zoe Darrow and The Fiddleheads.
 March 18, 2006: From PEI. J. J. Chaisson fiddle and Kevin Chaisson on piano.
- April 22, 2006 NYC Irish traditional at its best! Marie & Martin Reilly & friends.
- May 20, 2006: A Cape Breton Ceilidh with Derrick and Melody Cameron.

Brookfield Fiddle Retreat Feb 24
Jerry Holland and Beth Telford are hosting a weekend fiddle retreat in
Brookfield VT.  Stay in a beautiful home, with a big open room for music
workshops and dancing.  Check-in at 1pm Friday afternoon, ending Sunday at 3pm.
Cost is $250/person.  Meals from Friday evening to Sunday lunch are included.
For info or to register, call Beth Telford at 802-728-6351.  Mail: 1060 Bent
Hill Rd, Braintree VT 05060.
 
Patio Records presents the 10th Annual (Boston) Healing Garden Music Fest
. Featured headliners: J.P. Cormier (Cape Breton), Five2 (Ithaca), Terry Tufts
(Fitzroy Harbour, ON), The Laws (Gananoque, ON), and, The McDades (Edmonton)!
At the National Heritage Museum's Maxwell Theater, Lexington MA, 33 Marrett Rd,
Stay tuned for ticket info. 
http://www.patiorecords.com/events.html

Reoccurring Events

1st Wednesdays - Jam session, 7 pm, Foodee's, in the Milford Oval, Milford,
N.H. Sandy Lafleur 603-673-8497 or strumma at aol.com.  Come early and enjoy the
great food!

2nd Sundays - English dancing, 5:30-7:45pm, Presidential Oaks, Pleasant St,
Concord NH $6, or $5 for ECDSNH members.  Judith Ackerson 603.934.2543 or
jnoska at cyberportal.net. 
1st, 2nd & 3rd Wednesdays-Scottish Country dance, 7-9 pm, Church of the Good
Shepherd, 214 Main St, Nashua NH.  $3.  Also, 4th and 5th Wednesdays-Scottish
Country dance, 7-9 pm, Chandler Library, 257 Main St., Nashua, NH. Free. More
info: Loren Wright 603-891-2331, NashuaSCD at comcast.net, or
www.homepage.mac.com/lonwright/NashuaSCD

3rd Sundays- Gaelic Club, 3-7pm, Canadian American Club, Watertown MA FROM
Cassie Hansel, Peggy Morrison, 978-858-3792.

Mondays - Contra dance, 8-10:30, callers & musicians welcome to take a
turn. Nelson NH Town Hall, $3 827-3732.

Tuesdays - Irish/Celtic Sessions at The Barley House Restaurant and Tavern, 132
North Main St Concord NH 7-10:00 pm.  603-229-0083.

Wednesdays (2nd) - Canadian Jam Session: mixture of French, English Canadian
and New England fiddle. $2; 7:30-10:30; at the Durham NH Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship (corner of Madbury Rd & Woodman Ave) Info: 664-2513 or
peter.yarensky at unh.edu

Wednesdays - Fiddle on Wednesday - open jams - alternate between Ashland, NH
(Booster's Club) and the Gordon-Nash Library, New Hampton (7PM)

Wednesday "Slow Jam"- Concord Community Music School; 7:30-9PM voluntary
donation; info: 226.1966 or cordway at cmusicschool.org.

Thursdays: Acoustic Open Mic 7:30PM - Green Martini - 8 Pleasant Street
Extension, Concord NH host: Duane D'Agnese

1st Thursday every month: Dover, NH City Hall - Contra/square Dance with the
Peter Yarensky & Sarah Mason calling and teaching, music by the Lamprey River
Band. Beginners welcome; all dances taught. Guest musicians and callers
welcome. 8:00-10:40, $7, students $5. Info/directions: Peter Yarensky,
603-664-2513 or peter.yarensky at unh.edu.

Fridays - Press Room, Portsmouth, NH - Irish Music sessions (open) - 4:30-9:00 PM

Fridays - Seacoast Scottish Country Dance class, Greenland Parish Hall on Rte
151, Greenland NH, 7:30-9:30 pm, thru end of June, Laurie Stevens 603-773-9795.

1st Fridays: Contra dance, Windham, N.H. Town Hall, 1/2 mi. W of exit 3, I-93;
Neil Harvey 603-890-8907.

2nd Fridays: Contra dance, Kittery, Me. Grange Hall (now called the Left
Banke), 8pm- various bands. $6.

3rd Fridays - Square and Contra Dances. Roaring Jelly, Lexington, Mass. Susan
Elberger, Caller, and Debby Knight, Music Director. To dance or join band, call
781-944-3544, www.toc.lcs.mit.edu/~slonim/rjelly.html.

4th Fridays - Contra dance, 8-11 pm, Town Hall, Milford NH Open band. Frank
Woodward 603-487-2480

1st Saturdays - Contra dance 8-11pm, Town Hall Peterborough, N.H. (phone):
(603) 525-3883, (603) 525-4432; Email: fiddleheads at adelphia.net.

Play fiddle Saturday afternoon with John Campbell at his Maynard MA home. For
specifics,  John 978-897-7031.

Saturday Afternoons, Arlington MA (781-643-3603 for info and dates) Trad Music
Sessions, from 3:00 to 6:30 pm at the Fox Library, corner of Mass Ave &
Cleveland St.  $1 

Second Saturdays Dance - Gilmanton, NH Town Hall (Academy Building)
(intersection Rtes 107 & 14) 8-11pm.  info: (603) 267-7227; Dec 11 - Two
Fiddles, Caller: Dudley Laufman

2nd Saturdays - Contra dance, 8-11pm, Francestown, NH Town Hall.  Frank
Woodward.  For info: 603-487-2480 or NHdancecaller at aol.com.

Third Saturdays - Dance - East Concord, NH Community Center 8PM   info: dwh at nhvt.net

4th Saturdays - Contra dance, Kingston, NH, 8:30 pm - various bands. $7, 603-750-7506.

Saturday Jam Session-Acoustic Outfitters-Stratham 778-9711 www.aomusicshop.com
October through May on the first and third Saturdays of the month, 2-5 pm. 

Granite Skyes is published monthly (10 issues) between September and June by
the Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire. Subscription $8/yr ($18
overseas). Individual domestic memberships cost $20/yr; please inquire about
other rates. Edited by Jack Langley. Email subscription is free; send request
to bmcowen at comcast.net.

All items welcome, depending on space available; If you have something to
include in this news letter, you can email or phone.  Deadline for submissions
is the 1st of the month.  If the submission is still relevant it will be
considered for the next issue.

Strathspey and Reel Society of New Hampshire
Newsletter Editor
Jack Langley
26 Buttonwood Drive
Hollis NH 03049
603.465.4022
jackieaxe at earthlink.net

SRSNH  Next Gathering: 
Sunday February 26, 2006          

1-5pm.  Free admission.  All ages, all instruments, all levels welcome; with
potluck refreshments.  At the 
Annicchiaricco Music Theater: 1 Thompson St. at South Main St.  Take I-93 to
Exit 13 or 14.  Take South Main St to Thompson, 2 blocks south of Pleasant St
(Rts 202/9), 1 Block north of the Capital Center for the Arts.  Free parking on
the street. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THE RESIDENT'S LOT.